Exhibitions On View

Calendar of Events — February 2010

All programs are free for JANM members and included with admission for non-members, unless otherwise noted. Events are subject to change.

Reservations are recommended for most programs; you may use the links below. You may also RSVP by emailing rsvp@janm.org or calling 213.625.0414 at least 48 hours in advance. Please indicate the name, date, and time of the program, as well as your name and the number of people in your party. (RSVPs are not accepted for Family Festivals).

For all ticketed events (classes, workshops, food tours, etc.), pre-payment is required to hold your space. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance or no refund will be issued.

Discovering Your Japanese American Roots

Instructor Chester Hashizume leads a comprehensive workshop covering genealogy basics such as getting started, identifying your ancestral Japanese home town, obtaining and utilizing family documents, and determining the meaning behind surnames and family crests--all the tools you need to discover your roots. This intensive session includes a one-hour break. $45 for National Museum members and $55 for non-members, includes materials and Museum admission.

Little Tokyo Then & Now: Neighborhood Change Through The Lens of Photography Workshop

PLEASE NOTE: THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELED.

Professor Paul Ong will teach participants how to document aspects of neighborhood change by using historic and contemporary photos they take themselves. $9 members; $14 for non-members. Please note that this workshop requires access to a digital camera.

For Valentine’s Day everyone is making valentines to send to Michiko in Japan. Eveline decorates her card with gold glitter glue. Pablo draws a picture of a happy fish. Jessica writes a poem. The kids in Mrs. Madoff’s class remember all the things they liked to with their friend Michiko, even though she’s thousands of miles away now.

This Valentine’s Day gem from the classroom Kirkus Reviews called “a charmed place” explores what it means to be a friend. (Ages 5-7 years old)

Six Taste's Little Tokyo Food Tour

Little Tokyo is home to several restaurants, bakeries, and other historical eating establishments. Its 100-plus years of history provide some fascinating stories. Six Taste's Little Tokyo Tour will take you throughout Little Tokyo, from Fugetsu-Do, a confectionary shop and the oldest building in Little Tokyo to Chado Tea Room, where you'll get to taste some authentic Japanese tea, to several other restaurants and other eateries.

Six Taste's food tours are more than just walking and eating. They hope to provide you with an entertaining, educational, and exciting experience. You'll learn about Japanese culture, the history of Little Tokyo, the art and science of tasting, and have great conversations over great food.

The "Gastronaut Tour" includes a balance of history, culture, and delicious food. You'll stop at some of the most fascinating historical locations in Little Tokyo, meet owners of some of the longest running stores in Little Tokyo, try amazing food at seven different locations, and learn about Japanese culture and culinary customs. This tour is perfect for tourists or LA natives that have never ventured into Little Tokyo before.

Community Day of Remembrance

*SPECIAL: Pay what you can!

Day of Remembrance 2010

The Day of Remembrance commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, which led to the unconstitutional forced removal of thousands of Americans of Japanese ancestry from their homes on the West Coast and parts of Hawai`i by the U.S. government. A grassroots movement to petition the government for an official apology and reparations, pilgrimages to Manzanar and events like Day of Remembrance, organized in Japanese American communities throughout the country, sparked the successful redress campaign that culminated with the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.

During World War II, Fred Korematsu challenged the constitutionality of the incarceration Japanese Americans in a landmark civil rights case known as Korematsu v. United States. He lost and was sent to Topaz concentration camp. In the 1980’s a team of lawyers attempted to get his conviction overturned. The 2010 Day of Remembrance will explore this case and its relevance today.

Program

Emcees: Dana Heatherton and Tony Osumi
Remembrance Ceremony
Keynote Speaker: Dale Minami, Lead Counsel of the Coram Nobis legal team
Performance Selection from "Leaps of Faith" by Great Leap/Nobuko Miyamoto
Calls to Action

Light Refreshments following program
Arrive early - limited seating

Presented in collaboration with the Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress, the Japanese American Citizen’s League–Pacific Southwest, and the National Museum.

Bringing the Circle Together: Lost Nation: The Ioway

Free Screening of Lost Nation: The Ioway

In the twilight of Native American dominion, two Ioway leaders travel to Washington, D. C. in 1824 to meet with Superintendent of Indian Affairs, William Clark. Both sign a treaty ceding a large portion of tribal land for settlement. White Cloud sees cooperation as the only way for his people to survive, while Great Walker regrets the loss of land where his ancestors are buried. More territory is lost, and the Ioway people are divided, with some regarding one leader as a traitor, and the other as a patriot. After the tribe is removed, the 36 million acres they once called home is named 'Iowa'. Then, they are forgotten. 'Lost Nation: The Ioway' tells the dramatic true tale of two leaders' struggle to save their people from inevitable American conquest, and the Ioway's current fight to reclaim and maintain their unique history and culture. Special guest TBA.

Bringing the Circle Together: A Native American Film Series

Bringing the Circle Together: A Native American Film Series is a FREE monthly film series located in downtown Los Angeles at the National Center for Preservation of Democracy. Directly across from our host sponsor, the Japanese American National Museum. The film series was established to provide quality documentaries by and about Indigenous cultures of the Americas, and bring together a central gathering place where discussion and awareness of issues can be shared with the Native community and its supporters.

The film series is held at the National Center for Preservation of Democracy located at 111 North Central Avenue, between 1st Street and Central Avenue, in downtown Los Angeles. The NCPD can be reached via train, bus, or parking in the area. Screenings will begin at 7pm, and it is advisable to arrive at least 15-20 minutes prior for seating. Each film will include a raffle at the end of the screening. (pdf for directions). Doors open at 6:30pm.

The film series is hosted by Lorin Morgan-Richards and is generously sponsored by the following organizations:

The Grateful Crane Ensemble PresentsThe Betrayed

A Play by Hiroshi Kashiwagi Directed by Darrell Kunitomi Southern California Premiere Award-winning Nisei playwright, actor, poet, and author Hiroshi Kashiwagi’s Southern California premiere of his new two-act play about a young Nisei couple torn apart over the infamous loyalty questions #27 & #28. Forty years later, we meet Tak and Grace again, and learn how these questions and the decisions they made back then affected them for the rest of their lives.

Member Preview & Reception

Textured Lives: Japanese Immigrant Clothing From the Plantations of Hawai'i Member Preview & Reception.

In addition, we will have two very special performers: Herb Ohta, Jr. and Allison Arakawa performing during the reception.

Herb Ohta, Jr.
Teacher, composer, recording artist, entertainer, and producer, Herb Ohta, Jr. solidly establishes himself as one of Hawaii's most influential 'ukulele masters. He is a six-time Na Hoku Hanohano Award Nominee and a two-time Hawai‘i Music Award Winner. He has performed throughout the state of Hawai‘i and has traveled overseas to Japan and the mainland USA. Herb has also been featured at the Japanese American National Museum's 1st&Central Concert Series. Herb Ohta, Jr. is certainly a vanguard in this new generation of ‘ukulele players.

Allison Arakawa
Now a resident of Alhambra, Allison started the study of singing Japanese music in Hawai'i under Harry Urata at the age of four, including children’s songs to Enka. Urata-sensei compiled and standardized Hole Hole Bushi, which was the song sung by the first generation of Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. This historical song has been added to the Asian Collection at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. as well as museums in Hawaii and throughout Japan (Hiroshima, Oshima). Allison will perform a special version of this song at the opening reception.

She also learned sanshin (Okinawan shamisen) and Okinawan koten ongaku (Classical Okinawan music) from Terukina Choichi Sensei, who has been honored as a Japanese National Living Treasure.